It all started for me at about 2 pm. I went over to see where we were in the process and found the woman in labor walking around outside. Walking around is not unusual, it just seemed to me that 100 degree weather is not ideal for that. Oh well, what do I know?
Over the next few hours there was much walking and then the pregnant woman decided she was hot and took off her shirt. She also decided she would walk more outside! I was aghast. She had only a black half slip on. At times when she had a contraction she dropped to her knees.
As I talked with Stephanie, the midwife she told me that birth here is a social event and even strangers are welcome to be part of it. Our laboring mother had an audience outside as she knelt, some were close by and others watched from the fence outside the compound.
When the baby wasn't coming down into position for birth as we needed it to, we resorted to threats of a C-section. The laboring woman's mother who was about 4' 11" and the mother's sister-in law came on the scene. She looked at her and read her the riot act I think. I couldn't understand a word but if finger pointing and facial expressions can be relied upon then I got the picture. Apparently so did the daughter. Thanks, mom!
There was another woman on the scene earlier who I thought was the grandmother to be but she wasn't there at the end. Anyway she was delightful with her big smile. I asked her if she knew God and she said "yes" I asked her to pray for the mom and baby to have a good delivery. I watched with joy as she prayed and raised her hands as is there custom. We were grandmothers together.
A healthy baby girl. Thank you God.
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